About a year ago, my life was turned upside down. I started experiencing neurologic symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, vertigo, loss of balance, numbness in my fingers...you get the idea. After an MRI, my neurologist told me that I had Arnold Chiari Malformation. The first thing I did was to go on the internet and learn everything I could.

A month later, I was sitting in the waiting room at the Maxine Dunitz office and freaking out. I was 22 and facing the prospect of brain surgery! In walked in Dr. Ananda and at that time he was exactly what I needed (and my mom as well, she came with me for moral support and an extra pair of ears). His calmness was definitely soothing and he was so patient. He listened and answered all the questions we could throw at him.

Another month or so later I was in for surgery. I am happy to say that it was a great success, both immediately post-surgery and today. I have not re-experienced a single symptom. I almost forgot what it felt like to not walk around constantly in pain and dizzy. My recovery was mostly uneventful. I did have a complication, my immune system started to reject the dura patch Dr. Ananda had sewn in. Luckily, it wasn't anything a good dose of steroids couldn't fix. Besides this, my rehab has included regaining my strength and getting back to life. I do physical therapy and Pilates 1-2 times per week. Before my illness I was an avid runner, which I have been able to get back into. It is amazing what this surgery did for me and I would do in again in a heartbeat.

My 17 year old daughter is going to have chiari decompression surgery in a couple weeks, thanks for sharing your story. One of her goals is to play on her HS golf team, how long after surgery could one potentially play golf again?